Agastache plant named ‘Pink Perfume’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Agastache  plant named ‘Pink Perfume’, characterized by its upright, mounded and compact plant habit; freely flowering habit with numerous spikes per plant and numerous flowers per spike; and red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Agastacherugosa×Agastache pallidiflora cultivar Pink Perfume.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAgastache plant, botanically known as Agastache rugosa×Agastachepallidiflora, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pink Perfume’.

The new Agastache is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Boyl, The Netherlands. The new Agastache wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor in a seed bed of sown Agastacheseed from various cross-pollinations of unnamed Agastache rugosaseedling selections, not patented, with unnamed Agastache pallidifloraseedling selections, not patented, in a controlled environment in Boyl,The Netherlands in 1998. The new Agastache was selected as an individualseedling within the progeny of these various cross-pollinations on thebasis of its compact plant habit and red purple-colored flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings taken atBoyl, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this newAgastache are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Pink Perfume have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pink Perfume’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Pink Perfume’ as a new and distinctAgastache cultivar:

1. Upright, mounded and compact plant habit.

2. Freely flowering habit with numerous spikes per plant and numerousflowers per spike.

3. Red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Agastache are most similar to plants of the parentselections. Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of thenew Agastache are more compact, have deeper red purple flowercoloration, and flower for a longer period of time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Agastache.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Pink Perfume’ grown in an outdoornursery.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering spike of ‘Pink Perfume’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants shown in the aforementioned photographs and used in the followingdescription were grown under conditions which closely approximatecommercial production conditions during the spring and summer in anoutdoor nursery in Boyl, The Netherlands. Plants in the photographs andthose used for the description were about one year old and in a 17.5 cm.container when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Agastache rugosa×Agastache pallidifloracultivar Pink Perfume.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed Agastache rugosa seedling selection,not patented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed Agastache pallidiflora seedlingselection, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 14 days during the springunder outdoor production conditions, about 15° C.

Root description.—Numerous; fine.

Plant description:

Form.—Perennial. Upright, mounded and compact plant habit; broadinverted triangle. Flowering stems arise from the roots; moderatebranching from the stems, typically about six to eight lateral branchesper plant; dense and bushy plant habit; moderate to vigorous growthhabit. Freely flowering with numerous flowering spikes per plant andnumerous flowers arranged in verticillasters on crowded spikes.

Plant height.—About 45 cm.

Plant width.—About 35 to 45 cm.

Stem description.—Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About 6 to 15cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 139A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length: About 4 to6.5 cm. Width: About 1.8 to 3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate to ovate. Apex:Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Fragrance: When rubbed,strong peppermint scent. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,upper surface: 137A; venation, 137A. Developing and fully expandedfoliage, lower surface: 138B; occasional red purple areas, close to187B; venation similar to lamina. Petiole length: About 1 to 2.5 cm.Petiole diameter: About 1.5 to 2 mm. Petiole color: 139A.

Flower description:

Flower arrangement and shape.—Numerous single labiate flowers arrangedin verticillasters on terminal spikes; flowers face mostly outwardly.Freely flowering, about 1,200 to 1,500 flowers and flower buds perplant.

Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from the late springthrough fall in The Netherlands.

Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about one week onthe plant. Flowers not persistent.

Fragrance.—When rubbed, strong peppermint scent.

Flower buds (about one day before opening).—Length: About 0.5 mm.Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Obovate. Color: 36A.

Flowers.—Diameter: About 7 to 9 mm. Depth (height): About 5 mm.

Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; corolla two lipped, upper lip erect withtwo lobes, lower lip with three lobes; lips fused at the base. Length:About 7 to 9 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute to obtuse. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Whenopening and fully opened, upper surface: 69B. When opening and fullyopened, lower surface: 69B.

Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused into a tube. Calyx length: About4 to 5 mm. Calyx width: About 2 mm. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire.Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper andlower surfaces: 60C.

Pedicels.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 1 to 2 mm.Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Aspect: About 40 to 50° from vertical. Color:138C.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About four. Antherattachment: Dorsifixed. Anther length: About 0.7 to 1 mm. Anther color:18C. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: Creamy white. Pistils:Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 0.7 to 0.9 mm. Stigmashape: Three-parted; recurved. Stigma color: 185A. Style length: About0.7 to 0.9 mm. Style color: 69B. Ovary color: 72C.

Seed.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Black, close to202A.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Agastache have not been notedto be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Agastache.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plant named‘Pink Perfume’, as illustrated and described.